Anke Huber

“We are in for a few surprises”

As the Operating Tournament Director of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, Anke Huber is particularly close to the players and is delighted with the excellent standing the tournament enjoys amongst them. “When I meet them in Paris or at the US Open, they always tell me about just how much they are looking forward to Stuttgart,” she says. “It’s nice to see them feeling at home here and to know they like coming back.”

Speaking ahead of the 42^nd edition of the long-established Stuttgart tournament in the Porsche Arena, she talked about …

…the competitiveness in women’s tennis:

“Women’s tennis is incredibly exciting. There’s been a different winner at all this year’s important tournaments. We’ve seen major surprises like Danielle Collins reaching the Australian Open semifinal, Bianca Andreescu’s sensational win in Indian Wells or Ashleigh Barty’s success in Miami. It’s hugely competitive at the top and it’s something our spectators can look forward to.”

…the strong field at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix:

“We can be very satisfied. Having eight Top 10 players and the number 1 plus all the reigning Grand Slam champions is very hard to beat. We’ve got the strongest field for a long while, perhaps even the strongest since our move to the Porsche Arena in 2006.”

…the player she is most looking forward to:

“Naomi Osaka, the new number one is momentarily the most interesting player on the WTA Tour. That she has chosen to come to our tournament is a special honor for us. A player that wins the US Open at only 21 and then immediately goes on to claim the Australian Open is an enrichment for women’s tennis and naturally our tournament too. Two years ago, she played here in qualifying and afterwards developed incredibly quickly. I love watching her and hope she stays at the level she is despite the big pressure she is now under. It’s not so easy for a young player.”

...Angelique Kerber as the Wimbledon champion and Germany’s Sportswoman of the Year:

“I was watching on television when she was named Germany’s best sportswoman and was so happy for her. It was a fantastic moment, not only for her Wimbledon win but also for the way in which she, after so many setbacks, fought her way out of the depths to return to the top. It was something many people didn’t think she was capable of. I too had my doubts whether she would ever manage it. But she didn’t give up, worked incredibly hard and improved many things. It deserves our greatest respect.”

...the wild cards for Laura Siegemund and Andrea Petkovic:

“Both players deserve a wild card, no question. After her win here in 2017, Laura was injured for a long time and has fought her way back so well. Andrea is also on a good road.”

…the popularity of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix amongst the players:

“The feel-good factor plays a big role here. Despite everything, we are still a small, friendly tournament. The players know their way around and whenever they need something, they know who they have to turn to. For them, it’s like coming home. It’s what they tell us over and over again and for us it’s obviously the nicest compliment going. That Stuttgart is in the meanwhile a fixed date in the calendar for many players is something that fills us with a certain pride. When I meet them during the year in Paris or at the US Open, they always tell me about just how much they are looking forward to Stuttgart. Some are even interested in finding out which car is up for grabs. It’s so nice to see them feeling at home here and that they like to come back. And we try to anticipate their every wish.”

… her job as the Operating Tournament Director:

“As the Operating Tournament Director, I’m at the interface between the tournament, the players and the WTA. It’s a wonderful job and one I’ve been doing for 17 years now, and I’m still really enjoying it. Many things have naturally changed in women’s tennis over the course of time and they’ve obviously had an effect on my job. Everything has become much more professional. The players have to do far more than before, have numerous additional off-court duties like for example press appointments or making themselves available for fans and sponsors. It therefore means I have far more to do. Nevertheless, the job is still a lot of fun, after all it presents me with new challenges over and over again. Last year for example, CoCo Vandeweghe wanted to celebrate after the final with friends over at the Spring Festival, but all the tents are full on Sunday evenings. Getting a table wasn’t easy but we managed to get one for CoCo.“

…her contact to the players and how she deals with the stars:

“For us, all the players are important and we look forward to everybody that comes here – no matter whether it’s the number one or the number 30. I’ve been able to build up a good relationship with most of the players over the years, especially with those that are regulars here in Stuttgart. Every player has a different personality and it’s what makes it all the more interesting. It’s not always the so-called stars that need the most attention. During the year, I try to stay in contact with the players as best I can. It means that I visit the US Open regularly, am often in Paris or at the WTA Finals. It however takes up a lot of time especially because, as a mother, I have two children to look after. But it’s all well worthwhile as you can see again this year with our sensational field.

...her favorite in the Porsche Arena:

“There’s no way I’m going to make a prediction. The tournament has such a strong field so that it’s impossible to say who will reach the final and who will win in the end. However, I’m sure that we’ll see many exciting matches and some surprises – perhaps even in the first round.”

Anke Huber has been the Operating Tournament Director of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix since 2002. Born on 4 December 1974, the former No 4 on the WTA world rankings made her professional debut in 1989. The stand-out match of her career was the 1995 Masters final against Steffi Graf which she narrowly lost. One year later she reached her only Grand Slam final at the Australian Open but was beaten by the then world No 1 Monica Seles. She won a total of 12 WTA tournaments – Schenectady/USA was the first in 1990 and the last came in Sopot/Poland in 2000. At the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, she won the tournament in 1991 (against Martina Navratilova) and again in 1994 (against Mary Pierce). She gave birth to a son in 2005 and then a girl in 2006. Anke Huber lives with her family in Frankenthal, Germany.